DIY To-Do Lists That Will Totally Motivate You

Sometimes forcing yourself to write a to-do list of tasks is a hard enough venture in itself, let alone getting around to actually completing each one! We find, however, that the cooler our to-do list looks or the more unique it is to keep and write, the more motivated we feel to get things done.

1. Industrial paper roll

We Heart suggests using a big roll of industrial paper like the kind you might see to cover tables between customers in a busy restaurant. Use wall mounting brackets and a bar to attack the roll up high horizontally and then pull a length down to write on against the all. Once you’re done those tasks, rip that part of the roll off and pull down some more!

2. Chalkboard to do list

Clever Spaces dares you to take a decor risk in the name of productivity and actually paint a square of black chalkboard paint right on your wall. You’ll be less likely to ignore your responsibilities if they’re literally written on the walls around you!

3. Clipboards and pretty templates

Maybe you need the kind of to do list that you can walk around the house with, making notes as you go! A Pair of Pears suggests use a clipboard for portability and writing ease. There are a plethora of fun, easy templates you can download and clip to the board as well to help keep your organized!

4. Sticky note to do list

Do you like being able to move your tasks around easily because your schedule changes a lot? This detachable sticky note task idea from Cornflower Blue Studio might be the best to do list design for you!

5. Chalkboard sticky note wall

Freckled Nest‘s chalkboard sticky notes idea combines two previous to do list structures in order to let you have complete creative control. Depending on what your tasks are, outline yourself a chart or graph and then write your individual tasks on stick notes and stick there where you need. The best part is that if you get the wrong date or mess something up, it’s easy to fix or replace little papers and simple chalk lines.

6. Hanging clips and cards

Perhaps you love the way sticky note to do lists can be customized in seconds but you don’t like the idea that they’ll lose their stickiness and come fluttering down from the wall, throwing your whole list out of whack. Instead, try putting evenly spaced pins in a pin board and hanging cards clipped with binder clips on them, like Sally J Shim did here! If something needs to be moved, simply unclip the card or slide the whole thing off the pin and onto a different one.

7. Weekly goal cards

Sometimes a to do list is less about completing specific tasks and more about contributing to greater goals that you’re working your way towards more slowing. That’s where weekly goal lists, like these ones from The Pretty Blog, come most in handy!

8. Check box lists

If you’re like us, you get a sense of satisfaction out of physically crossing something off your to do list. This productivity template by Saved by Love Creations was made for people like us! The second you’re done a task, grab your pen and proudly tick that box off before you move on to the next thing!

10. DIY to do list notepad

This note pad might look just like a regular pad bought from the store, but Wit and Whistle actually teach you how to make this one! This idea gets you a lesson in productivity and a lesson in new crafting techniques all at once.

11. Ribbon punched to do list notepad

Creme de la Craft reminds you that hanging your to do list up on the wall doesn’t have to be a difficult ordeal. Punch holes in the top, loop some ribbon through and tie it in a bow, and get working on those tasks!

12. CD box dry erase to do list

DIYlover shows you that your average dry erase marker will also work on the front of a CD case. Slide out the booklet or pamphlet and try decorating the front of your new “mini dry erased board”. We love the reflective pieces!

13. East DIY to do board

If you have no idea what kind of to do list you’d like best or how much guidance you need to be successful at actually using yours, start with this very mapped out design by Play. Party. Plan. This to do list concept has clothes pins for posting temporary notes for your family, magnets and labels to remind you which chores need to be done, as well as space to add tasks as they pop up.

14. Framed clothes pin to do list and message board

Growing Up Blackxican likes the pinned note style of to do list best! Customizing a frame with two strings labeled “to do” and “done”, as well as including a pocket for note card messages, makes this design one of the best to do lists we’ve ever seen.

15. Wooden DIY to do list board

Pearl Girl Creates shows you how to customize and decorate this pretty wood to do list board that will look gorgeous hanging just about anywhere in your house. When it comes to the sticky notes, you can leave them where you stuck them originally so you remember to do certain things in a certain order, or you can treat the board like a brainstorming session and take sticky notes off as you write your tasks onto an actual list elsewhere.

Do you know a super organized person who’s always creating lists and looking for new ways to organize? Similarly, do you know someone who could actually use a little help getting organized? Either way, share this post with them for a little inspiration!

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